Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KABUL2247
2009-08-06 05:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:
ULEMA COUNCIL: US MUST SUPPORT WHOMEVER IS LEGALLY
how-toVZCZCXRO5959 PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW RUEHSL DE RUEHBUL #2247/01 2180533 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 060533Z AUG 09 FM AMEMBASSY KABUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0663 INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO PRIORITY 0287
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 002247
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KISL PREL PTER EAID AF EG
SUBJECT: ULEMA COUNCIL: US MUST SUPPORT WHOMEVER IS LEGALLY
ELECTED
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KABUL 002247
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KISL PREL PTER EAID AF EG
SUBJECT: ULEMA COUNCIL: US MUST SUPPORT WHOMEVER IS LEGALLY
ELECTED
1. SUMMARY: During their July 25 meeting, Council of
Religious Scholars (Ulema Council) President Mawlawi
Fazulhadi Shinwari told Ambassador Holbrooke Afghan Muslims
had been very pleased with President Obama's Cairo speech,
but added that many doubted there would be action behind the
President,s words. Shinwari sought assurances from SRAP
Holbrooke the United States was not anti-Pashtun, and the
United States would support Afghan anti-corruption efforts.
He urged the United States to support all who were elected in
a legal manner in the upcoming Presidential and Provincial
Council elections, saying such support would help avoid
future atrocities. Ambassador Holbrooke Holbrooke assured
the gathered Ulema of the United States, intentions to
assist all Afghans, including the Pashtun, in developing
their country, and in the US' continued support for the
elections process, anti-corruption efforts, and eventual
Afghan-led reconciliation.
Obama Cairo Speech Very Well-Received, But Doubts Remain
-------------- --------------
2. Mawlawi Shinwari told Ambassador Holbrooke that Afghan
Muslims had been very pleased with President Obama's Cairo
speech. Many still had doubts, however, that action would
back up the President,s words. Ambassador Holbrooke assured
Shinwari the President meant every word of what he had said
in Cairo, and that the SRAP's presence in Afghanistan was
proof of that renewed commitment.
U.S. Not Anti-Pashtun and Supports Elections
--------------
3. Mawlawi Shinwari said the Pashtuns of Afghanistan were
the majority population in the country, and added that many
believed the United States was against them because Americans
believed all Pashtuns were Taliban. Ambassador Holbrooke
replied the United States was absolutely not opposed to the
Pashtun people, and those who said otherwise were spreading
disinformation and trying to cause a war between U.S. forces
and the Pashtuns. This remark was widely covered in the
press. He told Shinwari the United States was committed to
helping the Pashtuns fight their real enemy, the Taliban -
that was why he was in Afghanistan, and at the Ulema Council.
4. Shinwari said Afghans were grateful for U.S. assistance,
but needed more help to solve their problems. He noted the
security situation in Afghanistan was declining as the
Taliban sought to destabilize the nation before elections.
5. To counter Taliban violence, Shinwari said the United
States should support the victor of the upcoming elections.
Ambassador Holbrooke agreed with Shinwari about the
importance of elections, noting U.S. support (money, troops,
elections team, etc.),and assuring Shinwari the elections
would take place on schedule.
U.S. Policy In Afghanistan Continues To Be Reviewed
-------------- --------------
6. Ambassador Holbrooke said the United States was
continuing to review its policies and refocus support in four
key areas: 1) Agricultural Development; 2) Anti-Narcotics
efforts; 3) Reducing Civilian Casualties; and 4) Developing
the Afghan National Police (ANP). He told Shinwari the
United States had decided to remove poppy eradication from
its anti-narcotics program, and would instead focus on
interdiction and arresting drug traffickers. Shinwari
pointed out that traffickers outside Afghanistan must be
arrested to cut off support to the Taliban. Turning to
civilian casualties, Ambassador Holbrooke said LTG McChrystal
had changed the military's rules of engagement, and sharply
reduced civilian casualties in the past months, despite the
increased operations tempo in Kandahar and Helmand. Shinwari
noted that while he had noticed the decrease in civilian
casualties, innocent people were still dying, and asked
Ambassador Holbrooke to do his best to reduce further those
casualties. Mr. Mohammad Kassim Halimi said 16 members of
his local community had recently been lost to coalition
forces fire in an incident in Logar province. (Note: Post
is investigating.)
7. Ambassador Holbrooke told Shinwari Secretary of State
Clinton had laid out in a speech the previous week a revised
U.S. policy on reconciliation. People who had fought for the
Taliban should be invited back into society, so long as they
rejected al Qaeda, laid down their weapons, and accepted the
principles of the Afghan constitution. He added the U.S.
government recognized the vast majority of Taliban were poor,
uneducated, and had been misled into supporting the Taliban,
KABUL 00002247 002 OF 003
and needed to be given options for improving their lives.
Shinwari said an invitation to people who had been misled to
rejoin Afghan society might be effective, since the Taliban
were not a "pure" indigenous enemy, but instead took orders
from outside the country.
Afghans To Take Lead On Reconciliation After Elections
-------------- --------------
8. Mr. Halimi, the chief of the administrative section of
the Afghan Supreme Court, said he and the other members of
the council hoped the United States would permit the next
president to take the lead on reconciliation. He hoped there
would not be a repeat of 2002 when President Karzai tried to
initiate a reconciliation process, but was forced to end the
program when then-Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld blocked the
process. Ambassador Holbrooke said the U.S. completely
agreed reconciliation should be Afghan-led, and international
community supported. He said enough attention had not been
paid to the matter due to the elections, but assured the
council that would change after August 20. The U.S., he
said, understands how important reconciliation is to
Afghanistan, and will support the GIRoA's efforts.
Corruption Leads Some Afghans To Support Taliban
-------------- ---
9. Mr. Halimi also said he hoped there would be greater
emphasis placed on anti-corruption. Shinwari agreed, saying
some Afghans continued to support the Taliban because of the
high incidence of corruption in the country. Afghanistan, he
said, is totally dependent on the United States, and the
people need the United States' support to battle corruption.
He estimated that 95 percent of GIRoA officials were corrupt
(though he offered no specific evidence to support that
claim). Ambassador Holbrooke told the council the United
States would like to see the establishment of a large
anti-corruption program.
Other Impediments to Peace
--------------
10. Mawlawi Pir Mohammad Rohani, dean of Kabul University
during Taliban rule, told Ambassador Holbrooke there were two
blocks to peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan: former
communists, influence on the international community, and
unrest in neighboring countries. He said former communists
were giving local coalition commanders bad information in
order to settle grudges with ex-mujahideen leading to
ill-targeted raids and anger amongst Afghanistan,s religious
leaders. He asked Ambassador Holbrooke to stop those raids,
and reevaluate information obtained from ex-communists.
Unrest in neighboring countries would also frustrate
reconciliation, he said. Unless the world community devoted
attention to problems in neighboring countries, Afghanistan
would not find peace.
Possible Links To Moderate Islamic Universities
-------------- --
11. Ambassador Holbrooke asked council members for their
views on the ability of moderate Islamic universities, such
as al Azhar in Egypt, to combat the Taliban,s violent
message. Two of the 12 members present had attended al
Azhar. One of these, Mr. Halimi, said that while al Azhar's
scholars could help address certain problems in the country
by training more open-minded and moderate mullahs and
religious scholars, it could not solve all of Afghanistan,s
problems. He suggested the United States help GIRoA
establish itself as a strong and efficient government.
Message to President Karzai
--------------
12. Shinwari said that if he could give a message to
President Karzai, it would be that Karzai was too kind.
Karzai must not give assistance to bad people in an attempt
to appease and co-opt them.
COMMENT
--------------
13. The council was animated by the importance of
international support for the victor of elections, and an
Afghan-led reconciliation process. Shinwari did not say why
he thought the international community would not support
freely elected representatives of the people, but may have
been referring to a number of provincial council candidates
(and potential Parliamentary candidates) with ties to militia
and/or the Taliban. Some Afghans believe those candidates
could be duly elected, and either not seated or opposed by
KABUL 00002247 003 OF 003
the international community.
EIKENBERRY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KISL PREL PTER EAID AF EG
SUBJECT: ULEMA COUNCIL: US MUST SUPPORT WHOMEVER IS LEGALLY
ELECTED
1. SUMMARY: During their July 25 meeting, Council of
Religious Scholars (Ulema Council) President Mawlawi
Fazulhadi Shinwari told Ambassador Holbrooke Afghan Muslims
had been very pleased with President Obama's Cairo speech,
but added that many doubted there would be action behind the
President,s words. Shinwari sought assurances from SRAP
Holbrooke the United States was not anti-Pashtun, and the
United States would support Afghan anti-corruption efforts.
He urged the United States to support all who were elected in
a legal manner in the upcoming Presidential and Provincial
Council elections, saying such support would help avoid
future atrocities. Ambassador Holbrooke Holbrooke assured
the gathered Ulema of the United States, intentions to
assist all Afghans, including the Pashtun, in developing
their country, and in the US' continued support for the
elections process, anti-corruption efforts, and eventual
Afghan-led reconciliation.
Obama Cairo Speech Very Well-Received, But Doubts Remain
-------------- --------------
2. Mawlawi Shinwari told Ambassador Holbrooke that Afghan
Muslims had been very pleased with President Obama's Cairo
speech. Many still had doubts, however, that action would
back up the President,s words. Ambassador Holbrooke assured
Shinwari the President meant every word of what he had said
in Cairo, and that the SRAP's presence in Afghanistan was
proof of that renewed commitment.
U.S. Not Anti-Pashtun and Supports Elections
--------------
3. Mawlawi Shinwari said the Pashtuns of Afghanistan were
the majority population in the country, and added that many
believed the United States was against them because Americans
believed all Pashtuns were Taliban. Ambassador Holbrooke
replied the United States was absolutely not opposed to the
Pashtun people, and those who said otherwise were spreading
disinformation and trying to cause a war between U.S. forces
and the Pashtuns. This remark was widely covered in the
press. He told Shinwari the United States was committed to
helping the Pashtuns fight their real enemy, the Taliban -
that was why he was in Afghanistan, and at the Ulema Council.
4. Shinwari said Afghans were grateful for U.S. assistance,
but needed more help to solve their problems. He noted the
security situation in Afghanistan was declining as the
Taliban sought to destabilize the nation before elections.
5. To counter Taliban violence, Shinwari said the United
States should support the victor of the upcoming elections.
Ambassador Holbrooke agreed with Shinwari about the
importance of elections, noting U.S. support (money, troops,
elections team, etc.),and assuring Shinwari the elections
would take place on schedule.
U.S. Policy In Afghanistan Continues To Be Reviewed
-------------- --------------
6. Ambassador Holbrooke said the United States was
continuing to review its policies and refocus support in four
key areas: 1) Agricultural Development; 2) Anti-Narcotics
efforts; 3) Reducing Civilian Casualties; and 4) Developing
the Afghan National Police (ANP). He told Shinwari the
United States had decided to remove poppy eradication from
its anti-narcotics program, and would instead focus on
interdiction and arresting drug traffickers. Shinwari
pointed out that traffickers outside Afghanistan must be
arrested to cut off support to the Taliban. Turning to
civilian casualties, Ambassador Holbrooke said LTG McChrystal
had changed the military's rules of engagement, and sharply
reduced civilian casualties in the past months, despite the
increased operations tempo in Kandahar and Helmand. Shinwari
noted that while he had noticed the decrease in civilian
casualties, innocent people were still dying, and asked
Ambassador Holbrooke to do his best to reduce further those
casualties. Mr. Mohammad Kassim Halimi said 16 members of
his local community had recently been lost to coalition
forces fire in an incident in Logar province. (Note: Post
is investigating.)
7. Ambassador Holbrooke told Shinwari Secretary of State
Clinton had laid out in a speech the previous week a revised
U.S. policy on reconciliation. People who had fought for the
Taliban should be invited back into society, so long as they
rejected al Qaeda, laid down their weapons, and accepted the
principles of the Afghan constitution. He added the U.S.
government recognized the vast majority of Taliban were poor,
uneducated, and had been misled into supporting the Taliban,
KABUL 00002247 002 OF 003
and needed to be given options for improving their lives.
Shinwari said an invitation to people who had been misled to
rejoin Afghan society might be effective, since the Taliban
were not a "pure" indigenous enemy, but instead took orders
from outside the country.
Afghans To Take Lead On Reconciliation After Elections
-------------- --------------
8. Mr. Halimi, the chief of the administrative section of
the Afghan Supreme Court, said he and the other members of
the council hoped the United States would permit the next
president to take the lead on reconciliation. He hoped there
would not be a repeat of 2002 when President Karzai tried to
initiate a reconciliation process, but was forced to end the
program when then-Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld blocked the
process. Ambassador Holbrooke said the U.S. completely
agreed reconciliation should be Afghan-led, and international
community supported. He said enough attention had not been
paid to the matter due to the elections, but assured the
council that would change after August 20. The U.S., he
said, understands how important reconciliation is to
Afghanistan, and will support the GIRoA's efforts.
Corruption Leads Some Afghans To Support Taliban
-------------- ---
9. Mr. Halimi also said he hoped there would be greater
emphasis placed on anti-corruption. Shinwari agreed, saying
some Afghans continued to support the Taliban because of the
high incidence of corruption in the country. Afghanistan, he
said, is totally dependent on the United States, and the
people need the United States' support to battle corruption.
He estimated that 95 percent of GIRoA officials were corrupt
(though he offered no specific evidence to support that
claim). Ambassador Holbrooke told the council the United
States would like to see the establishment of a large
anti-corruption program.
Other Impediments to Peace
--------------
10. Mawlawi Pir Mohammad Rohani, dean of Kabul University
during Taliban rule, told Ambassador Holbrooke there were two
blocks to peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan: former
communists, influence on the international community, and
unrest in neighboring countries. He said former communists
were giving local coalition commanders bad information in
order to settle grudges with ex-mujahideen leading to
ill-targeted raids and anger amongst Afghanistan,s religious
leaders. He asked Ambassador Holbrooke to stop those raids,
and reevaluate information obtained from ex-communists.
Unrest in neighboring countries would also frustrate
reconciliation, he said. Unless the world community devoted
attention to problems in neighboring countries, Afghanistan
would not find peace.
Possible Links To Moderate Islamic Universities
-------------- --
11. Ambassador Holbrooke asked council members for their
views on the ability of moderate Islamic universities, such
as al Azhar in Egypt, to combat the Taliban,s violent
message. Two of the 12 members present had attended al
Azhar. One of these, Mr. Halimi, said that while al Azhar's
scholars could help address certain problems in the country
by training more open-minded and moderate mullahs and
religious scholars, it could not solve all of Afghanistan,s
problems. He suggested the United States help GIRoA
establish itself as a strong and efficient government.
Message to President Karzai
--------------
12. Shinwari said that if he could give a message to
President Karzai, it would be that Karzai was too kind.
Karzai must not give assistance to bad people in an attempt
to appease and co-opt them.
COMMENT
--------------
13. The council was animated by the importance of
international support for the victor of elections, and an
Afghan-led reconciliation process. Shinwari did not say why
he thought the international community would not support
freely elected representatives of the people, but may have
been referring to a number of provincial council candidates
(and potential Parliamentary candidates) with ties to militia
and/or the Taliban. Some Afghans believe those candidates
could be duly elected, and either not seated or opposed by
KABUL 00002247 003 OF 003
the international community.
EIKENBERRY